US Updates Patriot Missile Defense System in S Korea Amid N Korean Threats

The United States has modernized its Patriot missile interceptors deployed in South Korea amid nuclear threats from North Korea, local media reported Wednesday.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – According to KBS TV channel, the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade of the US Army has finalized an eight-month interceptors renovation program, as a result of which old systems were replaced and modern technologies were introduced.

The US servicemen are currently using 12 PAC-2 and PAC-3 missile types in South Korea, KBS TV channel reported.

Tensions around Pyongyang's missile program have flared up in the recent weeks, following the adoption of the UN Security Council sanctions, which led to North Korea trading threats and warnings with the United States. Most notably, Pyongyang said it might consider an attack on the area near the US territory of Guam in the Western Pacific.

The United States and South Korea agreed to continue to exert pressure on North Korea, saying that the possible retaliatory measures would include enhancing exercises and the deployment of additional US strategic assets, including supplementary US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) units.

In June, China initiated a road map for the the settlement of North Korean crisis, a so-called "double freeze" plan, supported by Russia, which provided for simultaneous cessation of North Korea's nuclear activity and US-South Korean military exercise, however, the initiative was rejected by the United States. North Korea has not issued an official response so far.